A New York state trooper was in stable condition at an Albany hospital after a man stabbed him in the neck and face with a steak knife, officials said.
State Police Superintendent Joseph D'Amico said Rodney Smith, a 15-year veteran on the force, underwent surgery at Albany Medical Center Hospital after the attack Sunday. Rodney is expected to make a full recovery, the Albany (N.Y.) Times Union reported Monday.
Troopers said the attacker approached Smith while he was patrolling the Empire State Plaza, a complex of several state governmental buildings.
The man began talking about how he was new to the city and while the trooper checked his identification, the man pulled out the knife and stabbed him in the left side of his neck.
Police said the two men fought and the man stabbed Smith again in the right side of his neck and his face. A source familiar with the case said Smith "got lucky" because the knife missed his arteries and windpipe, the report said.
The attacker took Smith's radio and ran away. Police searched trash cans, bushes and underneath cars to find evidence, the Times Union reported.
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